
These two articles - the sea chest and cup - had remained in Largo, in the possession of the family from before Selkirk's death in 1721 until the death of his great-grand-niece, Catherine Selkirk Gillies, early in 1862. She had occupied the cottage in which Alexander had been born and had "guarded most religiously his cup and chest" according to the North London news of 22 February 1862. The article continued that...
"Many visitors had been welcomed to that curious, antique-looking thatched house by its kind old inmate, and had been permitted to drink what pleased them out of the small silver-mounted cocoa nutshell - to pass their hands over the cunning joinings of the "auld cedar kist" - to feel the weight of its heavy rounded lid - and to examine the initials and rude carvings of the lonely exile."
The cup had apparently caught the interest of Sir Walter Scott and his publisher Archibald Constable (who had arranged for a rosewood stand and silver rim to be put on the simple cup around 1820). Katherine Gillies was a fisherman's wife, mother of thirteen and reportedly had around one hundred grandchildren and great-grandchildren at the time of her death at the age of 83. Her death triggered the disposal of the "Crusoe relics" from the family.
Of course there were other items associated with Selkirk. Much detail on the subject is provided with the book "The Man Who Was Robinson Crusoe" by Rick Wilson - particularly in respect of guns which Selkirk may have owned. In 1959, a small feature appeared in the 27 July Leven Mail under the headline "The Fate of Crusoe's Relics". This repeated some of the information already given above but also touched upon some lesser known items. The image below shows a Mr William Eadie with some relics that he had collected while writing a book about Selkirk. These included an old cradle belonging to the Selkirk family, spinning wheel bobbins found in the roof of the original cottage, and a book entitled "Thoughts of Heaven, Our Home Above" - copies of which had been presented by Lord and Lady Aberdeen to every guest at the 11 December 1885 unveiling of the Selkirk statue.